Category: Uncategorized

There are few people who don’t like picnics, especially when the weather is nice. Not many things are better than enjoying nature in company of those you love, with fine and carefully prepared food and drinks.

Unlike those from the past, present-day picnics don’t feature furniture, silver cutlery and servants running around in an attempt to please their masters. Everything is less formal, but that doesn’t mean that it’s less enjoyable. Even if you don’t have much time to organise every single detail, you can still have a great time.

Several things can turn a picnic into a memorable event and here are some tips you might want to consider when planning your own picnic.

Choose location and company

Two of the three most important elements of every picnic (the third one being food and drinks) are most definitely the venue and people you’re planning to invite. You need to start from choosing a suitable, if not perfect, location and those you’d like to keep you company. Your choice when it comes to these two element has profound implications on the food and drinks you’ll be preparing.

As we said, most people simply love picnics, which means that you’re not likely to have your invitation turned down by anyone, especially friends. Now, when it comes to location, you can choose anything from your not-so-inspiring backyard or a slightly-more-inviting local park to the-most-popular beach or a mountain campsite.

Depending on your company, certain solutions might be preferable to others. For example, if you’re planning to have a lot of young kids, you need to find a place with enough toilets or secluded places where they can do their business. Some people insist on having running water in the vicinity of their picnic spot, which really narrows down the options.

Carefully choose the time

Depending on the time of the day you choose, you’ll need to bring different clothes and some other gear. For example, if you want to have breakfast, you can count on a chilly morning, but you can expect the temperature to rise. On the other hand, if you start in the afternoon and plan to continue late into the evening, you might need to light a fire or grill to warm up or prepare some camping food for everyone.

Try to please you guests

Your guests are likely to be happy to have been invited, but their delight doesn’t have to end there. Namely, if you take their needs or penchants into account, you may research and purchase the best travel cooler and pack various things to help them enjoy the event even more. For instance, an elderly guest is likely to appreciate a folding chair, while kids can never have enough of various balls, hoops, or almost any toys for that matter.

Sitting is important

A lot of time is spent sitting during a picnic, which is why you need to bring a beach towel, old tablecloth, mat or blanket. A woven mat is particularly convenient if you’re picnicking on a beach, since it keeps the sand out of the food. Of course, if your car is big enough, folding chairs are an excellent option, too. If you are looking for other seating options, check out this interesting piece.

Food

The number of people and their preferences are the most important factors influencing the decision regarding the food you’ll bring. Generally speaking, you need some food that you can easily eat from a plate you’re keeping on your lap or out of a wrapper.

Desserts are usually not a problem, especially if you choose pies or tarts from a bakery or homemade cookies. Sandwiches are another popular option, but their popularity is contested by the increasing popularity of salads. Whatever you choose, you don’t need to complicate too much. One must be aware of packing these items safely as they are sweet and can attract smaller insects. click here to know about the leading packaging seller company.

Drinks

This is an extremely important thing to get right, since if you are somewhere far from any store, you might have problems if people don’t have enough of their favourite drink. And in case you feel like experimenting, you can even throw a genuine cocktail party. Here are some picnic-friendly mixes to tickle your fancy.

What you mustn’t forget to pack, though, is water. Bottled water is getting more expensive, and since you’d be needing plenty of it, using a good water filter and filling your water bottles is not only more convenient, but also much cheaper and earth-friendly than buying bottled water.

Other things to pack

Since you’ll be spending time in nature, you need some sort of insect repellent, sunscreen, napkins, matches and hand sanitisers, to mention just a few items. Those more prepared also pack a first-aid kit with bandages and plasters.

Also, you need to collect all leftovers, paper or plastic plates and cups, since you don’t want to leave any food behind. For that purpose, you need to bring enough plastic bags and aluminium foil or containers with lids. Wet wipes are useful for cleaning hands, while garbage bags help you clean the whole place up and leave no mess behind.

So, if you follow these tips, you’re likely to have an amazing time. Sure, there might be some insects attracted by your food, annoying passers-by inspecting the content of your basket, or Frisbees ending up in food after they knock over several bottles or cups, but, on the other hand, there might be none of that, but just a group of loving people, enjoying their time together.

 

Image credits:

Image1

Image2

Image3

Summer is the time for adventures, so many of you might decide to engage in a fun road trip. Whether it’s a cross country trip or a short one, you will need something to keep you fresh and energized. That is why you should always be prepared and pack some snacks and drinks.

Nuts for Snacks

The most popular snacks are crisps, but they are packed with sugar. For hot days on the road, you will need something that has more nutrients. Thus, nuts make a perfect snack for the road. They are travel-friendly, salty and can satisfy your daily cravings. Grab a few plastic containers or bags and make your favourite nutty mix with walnuts, peanuts, almonds and so on. You can even throw a few dried pumpkin seeds and raisins into the mix and have a healthy snack filled with the good stuff only. In case you need some inspiration, here are several great mixes.

Plenty of Water

Let’s face it – you will be stuck in a metal box for a good part of your trip. It is hot outside, but the AC might only cause more damage than good. You will be sweating a lot, therefore losing a lot of water and energy. That is why you really need to hydrate your body.

The best solution is water, of course. However, bottled water is quite expensive and it’s not really eco-friendly. That is why you should prepare your own water. You could use, for instance one of those reverse osmosis water filters with cartridges to remove the bad stuff and keep the water in a thermos or recycled bottles. This way you can save some money, since you will need plenty of water for the trip, and manage to stay hydrated and happy.

Trip-Friendly Fruits and Veggies

Fruits and vegetables offer a perfect light snack that hydrates your body. Berries, apricots, grapes, apples, peppers and tomatoes are perfect refreshments, but you can also eat most of them dried. You can easily store fruits in smaller lidded containers and keep them in a travel cooler, so your healthy snack will always be at hand. However, you might want to stay away from fruits that could cause a mess in your car, such as cherries and watermelon, since you wouldn’t know what to do with the pits.

Cooling Cocktails

If you are looking for some additional fun on the road, you can always rely on alcohol. However, never drink and drive; this type of refreshment is only suitable if you are going to park you campervan and stay somewhere overnight or if you are travelling by bus or a train.  Mix a few of your favourite cocktails and put them in a thermos bottle or a flask to keep them cool. Whether you like them fruity and sweet or not, they will certainly cheer you up, hydrate you and make the heat and travelling more bearable.

Energy Bars

Most of us turn to candy bars for energy while on the road. However, those delicious treats are packed with sugar and bad calories. So, whenever you are craving sweets on the road, you should turn to energy bars that have less sugar and more nutrients. You can pack a few granola bars to boost the protein and fibre intake or you can make your own energy bars. With these you will surely get the energy you lack during a hot summer day, but avoid the sugar trap.

Cheese and Crackers

For some extra boost during your trip you can turn to this classic combination. Cheese and crackers are filled with protein with whole-grain carbohydrates that will keep your hunger at bay. Prepare slices of your favourite cheese and some crackers and store them in a cooler. As soon as you start craving some food, take a few of those and you will be good for the rest of the trip. However, if you wish to combine them with something sweet, you can always throw a little peanut butter or apple slices on top.

Yogurt the Almighty

This dairy product can serve both as a light snack and a refreshing drink. Whether it is in a travel-friendly tube, mixed into a smoothie or combined with fruits and granola, it will be perfect for you and your family. It keeps you fresh, adds calcium and vitamin D to your daily nutrition and contains plenty of probiotics to keep your stomach healthy and prevent diarrhea. Just make sure to keep it in a cooler and you are good to go.

Healthy Sandwiches

Sandwiches are one of the most perfect and favourite snacks, and they can provide you with enough protein and grains to keep you well-fed. Not to mention how delicious and satisfying they are. Depending on the ingredients you choose, you might have to store them in a cooler. However, you can opt for some peanut butter jelly combinations that will satisfy both your hunger and a sweet tooth, but you don’t have to keep them cooled.

Nearly everyone loves road trips, but making frequent stops to get some food and drinks can be expensive and tiring. In order to solve both of these problems, make sure you have some of these snacks and drinks packed before you start the engine of your free campervan.

Image credits:

Featured

Nuts

Fruit

Sandwich